U.S. markets took a breather on Monday, with the Dow Jones sliding 0.9% to close at 47,289.33, the S&P 500 dipping 0.5% to 6,812.63, and the Nasdaq edging down nearly 0.4% to 23,275.92. But the broader market pullback didn't stop retail traders from finding plenty of action in individual names.

Here's a look at five stocks that dominated investor attention throughout the trading day.

Strategy Inc. Adds More Bitcoin, Faces "Ponzi" Accusations

Strategy Inc. (MSTR) shares declined 3.25% to close at $171.42, though the stock recovered slightly in after-hours trading, gaining nearly 1% to $173.12. During the session, the stock traded between an intraday high of $172.18 and a low of $155.61. The 52-week range sits between $457.22 and $155.61.

The company announced it had acquired 130 more Bitcoin (BTC), launching a $1.44 billion USD reserve in the process. President and CEO Fong Lee emphasized the firm's substantial Bitcoin position, now valued at approximately $59 billion. It's an impressive number that underscores Strategy's all-in approach to cryptocurrency accumulation.

But not everyone's impressed. Economist Peter Schiff came out swinging, accusing Strategy Chair Michael Saylor and the company of operating what he called an unsustainable, "Ponzi-like" model. Schiff's argument? That Saylor was forced to sell stock to cover interest and dividends rather than buy more Bitcoin. He contends the company lacks meaningful operating income and can only keep paying dividends by issuing preferred shares—unless it starts selling BTC, which would undermine the entire strategy. It's a harsh critique that raises legitimate questions about the business model's long-term sustainability.

Beyond Meat's Meme-Stock Moment

Beyond Meat Inc. (BYND) had the kind of day that reminds you why retail trading can be so entertaining. Shares surged 36.48% to close at $1.34, with an intraday high of $1.48 and a low of $0.93. The 52-week range stretches from $7.69 down to $0.50. After hours, the stock tacked on another 1.5% to reach $1.36.

Here's the interesting part: there was no company announcement. No product launch, no earnings beat, no strategic partnership. The stock just exploded higher on heavy volume as traders piled in. The move appears to have been fueled by renewed activity in meme names like GameStop, with traders circling back to heavily shorted consumer stocks looking for the next squeeze opportunity.

The timing is particularly striking given Beyond Meat's recent struggles. The company just reported $70 million in revenue for the quarter, guided fourth-quarter results below analyst estimates, and watched its stock drop over 30% in the past month. But in the world of meme stocks, fundamentals sometimes take a backseat to momentum and short interest. For at least one day, Beyond Meat was back in the game.

Credo Technology Rides the AI Wave

Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd. (CRDO) had a tale of two sessions. During regular trading, shares fell 3.64% to close at $171.13, hitting an intraday high of $183.69 and a low of $171.13. The 52-week range spans $193.50 to $29.09. But after the closing bell, everything changed—the stock rocketed 14.8% higher to $196.50.

What happened? Credo delivered a blowout second-quarter report that had analysts scrambling to revise their models upward. The company posted adjusted earnings of 67 cents per share and revenue of $268.03 million, both comfortably beating estimates. Even more impressive, revenue jumped 272% year-over-year, driven by what the company described as accelerating AI infrastructure demand.

The forward guidance sealed the deal. Credo projected third-quarter revenue between $335 million and $345 million, far exceeding Wall Street's expectations. It's another data point supporting the thesis that AI infrastructure spending isn't slowing down anytime soon. For companies positioned at the right intersection of AI and connectivity, business is booming.

Synopsys Teams Up With NVIDIA

Synopsys, Inc. (SNPS) shares climbed 4.85% to close at $438.29, with an intraday high of $447 and a low of $429.20. The 52-week range runs from $651.65 to $365.74. In after-hours trading, the stock added another 1.3% to reach $444.

The catalyst was an expanded partnership with NVIDIA designed to enhance engineering and product development capabilities. The collaboration aims to integrate NVIDIA's GPU computing power with Synopsys' simulation technologies, potentially accelerating innovation across various industries. For Synopsys, it's a validation of their technology stack and a strategic alignment with one of the most important players in AI infrastructure. The market clearly liked what it saw.

Apple Reshuffles Its AI Leadership

Apple Inc. (AAPL) shares rose 1.52% to close at $283.10, reaching an intraday high of $283.42 and a low of $276.14. The 52-week range now spans from $283.42 down to $169.21.

The tech giant announced a significant leadership change within its AI division. John Giannandrea is stepping down from his role, marking what could be a pivotal moment for Apple's artificial intelligence strategy. The company brought in AI researcher Amar Subramanya as its new vice president of AI, reporting to Craig Federighi.

Subramanya's resume is impressive. He previously led AI efforts at Microsoft and spent 16 years at Google overseeing engineering for the Gemini Assistant. Apple said he'll help advance foundation models, machine-learning research, and AI safety and evaluation. It's a hire that signals Apple's determination to compete more aggressively in AI, an area where the company has sometimes seemed a step behind rivals like Google and Microsoft. Bringing in someone with Subramanya's background and connections could help close that gap.

As a final note on market positioning, data shows that Beyond Meat stock currently has momentum in just the 2nd percentile compared to other stocks—a stark reminder that Monday's surge was more about trading dynamics than underlying business strength.